Four Corners: PM lauded for championing democracy dies aged 78

Four Corners: Tongan prime minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva dies aged 78

TONGAN prime minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, who helped wrestle power from the royal family and bring greater democracy to the small Pacific island nation, has died.

The 78-year-old died on Thursday in New Zealand at the Auckland City Hospital after suffering from pneumonia.

“He will be remembered as the champion of democracy and being primarily responsible for the democratic reforms that were incorporated into the country’s constitution in 2010,” political adviser Lopeti Senituli said.

Pohiva spent more than three decades in office after he was first elected to Tonga’s parliament in 1987.

“His political career has been marked by battles with the Tongan monarchy over democracy, transparency and corruption,” New York-based non-profit Parliamentarians for Global Action said.

Pohiva was also known for his fight against global warming. Tonga, which is made up 171 islands and is home to 106,000 people, are particularly vulnerable to rising seas.

ELSEWHERE, US president Donald Trump has agreed to delay a planned increase in tariffs on some Chinese imports.

Trump tweeted that the delay is “a gesture of good will”. He said Chinese vice-premier Liu had requested the delay “due to the fact that the People’s Republic of China will be celebrating their 70th Anniversary ... on October 1st”.

Trump has imposed or announced penalties on $550bn of Chinese products, or almost everything the US buys from China.

Tariffs of 25% that were imposed previously on $250bn worth of Chinese goods were due to rise to 30% on October 1. Instead, Trump says, that will be delayed until October 15.

MEANWHILE, police in Russia have raided the homes and offices of supporters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 43 cities, his close allies have said.

At least 200 raids took place on Thursday across Russia. Police have also searched the home of Sergei Boyko, a Navalny associate who came second in the mayoral election in the city of Novosibirsk.

Navalny, in a video message, mocked the raids, comparing it to a crackdown on a drug cartel and vowed to keep up his work.

AND finally, thousands of protesters in Sudan are demanding the sacking of a judiciary chief and general prosecutor over alleged ties to ousted leader Omar al-Bashir. A joint civilian-military sovereign council formed last month as part of a power-sharing deal. The council is to rule for more than three years, after which elections will be held.

Protest leader Ahmed Rabie called for reforms in the judiciary and said they “should be a top priority for the transitional period”.

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